2023-0133
Title
Proclamation: "Juneteenth Day of Observance in St. Charles Parish"
Body
P R O C L A M A T I O N
WHEREAS, on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. It took several years, and the end of the civil war for the Emancipation Proclamation to become a reality for hundreds of thousands of enslaved African Americans; and,
WHEREAS, on June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation became official, Major-General Gordon Granger, along with more than 1,800 federal troops, arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure freedom for the last remaining slaves in the area; and,
WHEREAS, the newly freed African Americans rejoiced by praying, dancing, and gathering for community feasts. Those gatherings recurred each year, commemorating what became known as Freedom Day; also known as Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, Emancipation Day, and Juneteenth; and,
WHEREAS, Juneteenth has always been both a day of remembrance and an opportunity for African Americans to honor their history and celebrate their culture. It is a time for reflection and rejoicing, for assessment, self-improvement, and planning the future; and,
WHEREAS, in cities across the country people of all races, nationalities, and religions are joining hands to truthfully acknowledge a period in our history that shaped and continues to influence our society today.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, WE THE MEMBERS OF THE ST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL AND THE PARISH PRESIDENT, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM JUNE 19, 2023 AS
"JUNETEENTH DAY OF OBSERVANCE IN ST. CHARLES PARISH"
MATTHEW JEWELL DICK GIBBS
PARISH PRESIDENT COUNCILMAN, DISTRICT III
BETH A. BILLINGS NICKY DUFRENE
COUNCILWOMAN AT LARGE, DIV. A COUNCILMAN, DISTRICT IV
HOLLY FONSECA MARILYN B. BELLOCK
COUNCILWOMAN AT LARGE, DIV. B COUNCILWOMAN, DISTRICT V
LA SANDRA DARENSBOURG GORDON BOB FISHER
COUNCILWO...
Click here for full text